This Guinness and molasses bread is a real taste of home for the Irish.

This hearty Guinness and molasses bread is a perfect blend of flavors and textures. The rich, malty notes of Guinness beer combined with the deep sweetness of molasses create a bread that's moist, slightly sweet, and incredibly satisfying. It's a great accompaniment to soups, and stews, or enjoyed with a smear of Irish butter.

Have a go!

Guinness and molasses bread recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups self-rising flour*
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • A pinch of salt (roughly 1/8 teaspoon)
  • 12 ounces of Guinness beer
  • Butter for greasing the pan and painting the top, about 3 tablespoons

Warning - Do not use stale beer for this recipe, you need the carbonation.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan well with butter.

2. Pour the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Slowly pour the Guinness into the flour mixture. (The “pub cans” are larger than 12 ounces, but they have better carbonation).

Start stirring the beer into the dry ingredients, and when you are about halfway done, add the molasses. Mix well, just to combine. Don’t overwork the batter – because that’s what it’ll look like – but you don’t want lumps, either.

4. Pour into the loaf pan to no more than 2/3 full. Pop into the oven immediately and bake for 50 minutes. Since ovens can vary, check the bread after 40 minutes and see if a toothpick inserted into the deepest part of the loaf comes out clean. If it does, you’re done.

5. Let the loaf cool a bit, maybe 5 minutes, and then turn it out onto a rack. Paint it with lots of soft butter, which will melt as you go.

Source: simplyrecipies.com. 

* Originally published in 2016, updated in Aug 2024.